On-Premise and On-Point: Why the cloud is not always the best solution

We’re all aware of the bandwagon and those folks who like to jump in to support a group or cause without really knowing the history. Well, it’s not that different when it comes to technology. Many organizations are switching to the cloud without evaluating their options or considering security. There are factors that many organizations face where finding an on-premise solution may be the better alternative, such as high security, regulations and compliance mandates, especially in healthcare and finance industries.

Security is the most noted issue with the cloud. Its early creators were focused on building cloud applications rather than taking time for security. Still, even in the last year or so, Dropbox and similar solutions have experienced a significant string of security breaches and hacks. Think: If the cloud goes down, you are left vulnerable. If the internal server goes down, your data is not at risk. Organizations with sensitive or complex data, or in highly regulated industries, may want to consider remaining on-premise. Such markets may eventually move to a hybrid solution, but will never fully move to the cloud.

As Arik Hesseldahl of All Things Digital pointed out in his coverage of Filr, not all IT managers are comfortable with the cloud. Other thought leaders have suggested that an organization must evaluate their network architecture, visibility, and clients before switching to the cloud. IT departments strive to manage networks, users, and devices with ease, but cannot completely control updates to the cloud. Cloud contracts don’t offer a lot of variety or customization; whereas some benefits to on-premise are in-house management and a customized fit.

Novell’s new product Filr is an on-premise solution that recognizes the growing need to access work documents from outside the office. The file sharing platform provides mobile productivity without compromising data security, IT efficiency or other enterprise goals. Filr proves that companies like Novell are innovating and innovations doesn’t have to be just the cloud. Sometimes what looks shiny and new simply isn’t the right fit.

So you might not feel like “the cool kid” when you make an educated decision to stay on-prem, but think about how bad you’d feel if your decision to move to the cloud put your organization’s data in jeopardy. When exploring new data management solutions, find something with the knowledge to incorporate with the file systems you already have-and leverage the security controls you’ve built up around them. Consider the infrastructure of your organization and the sensitivity of its data before buying into a cloud-based solution.

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